If you’re going to renovate or improve the design of your home, you’re probably faced with the choice of which option is more suitable for installation – a flat door or a prehung door. Most homeowners do not know the difference between the two, but it shows when you are going to buy and install the door yourself.
There are a number of factors that are imperative to consider before choosing a door. For example, cost, labor costs, and ease of installation. It is also important to consider the goals of your project: are you going to buy a unique model that will fit perfectly into your interior, but will require skill and extra time during installation, or for you, simplicity and convenience – the main criterion? How to choose the right door – we will tell in our article.
Features of the prehung door
Hinged door is a door plate, which is suspended with hinges to the frame. On it is also pre-made a hole for the door handle and the response strip. Basically, a hinged door is sold as a complete package and the buyer only has to install it and add some features.
A hinged door is more expensive than a regular flat door. This is due to the fact that it is already a complete self-contained unit with a frame and the buyer only needs to put it in a pre-prepared opening in the wall. If necessary, the door can be painted, tinted and equipped with handles.
The hinged door should be carefully stored and transported beforehand. Therefore, they are sold in tight packages, pulled with straps, and pieces of foam are placed in the empty spaces. This helps prevent displacement or breakage of the mechanism that connects the door plate and frame.
Installing prehung doors
Hinged doors are a great solution for rough openings and exterior doors. If you don’t have your door frame done yet or are considering replacing it, a prehung door is perfect for you. It is relatively easy to install, because there is no need to build a frame and mortise the hinges – all of this is provided by the manufacturer.
Usually, the hinged door is used for exterior exit. It has good sound insulation and does not transmit heat. In addition, such doors are made of material resistant to external influences. Professional knowledge for the installation of a hinged door, as a rule, will not be required. If you do not have enough skills, there is always the possibility to turn to experienced professionals.
Advantages of a hinged door
Prehung doors have many advantages, making them ideal for your home in some cases. Some of their main advantages include:
- Easy enough installation. Since a prehung door is a complete set of door leaf and frame, it’s much easier to put up than a regular door. Due to this design, the hinged door is installed in a pre-prepared opening in the wall. All that remains to do is to insert the handle, if necessary paint and seal the gaps around the frame. Most often, such doors can be installed by yourself without the help of a craftsman.
- Good sound and thermal insulation. Hinged doors are recommended for exiting the house and apartment. They are made of moisture-resistant materials and fit tightly to the frame after closing, which allows you to prevent the entry of extraneous noise into the room and the loss of heat.
- Large selection of models. Today there are a lot of options for prehung doors. It is also possible to order a set from the manufacturer directly. The main thing is to invite a measuring engineer in advance and tell him what goals you want to achieve. Design and color can be selected in the supplier’s catalog. This issue should be treated responsibly, so that in the future you will not regret your choice.
- Finished design. The hinged door is always sold almost ready-made. The door leaf is mounted on the hinges to the frame, it already has holes to install the handle and lock. Of course, both the frame and the door are made in the same style. This makes the choice much easier if you are going to improve the design of your home.
Disadvantages of the prehung door
In addition to the advantages, the hinged door has some disadvantages that many people are not satisfied with. The main ones include:
- High cost. Compared to conventional doors, hinged doors cost somewhat more. This is due to the fact that they are sold complete with a frame and fittings. However, the price depends on the materials that were used in the manufacture of the door, the complexity of construction, design, and additional elements.
- Heavy weight. Think about it, the lightest hinged door with a hollow leaf, weighs about 50-100 pounds. If weight is not an issue for you, a hinged door is too bulky and inconvenient to transport. It would require a large truck to deliver it, and it takes at least two large men to move it. Typically, the weight of a prehung door starts at 100 pounds.
- Fragility. Storage and transportation requires careful handling. The attachment mechanism is quite vulnerable in a hinged door, so it is packed tightly in polyethylene, and foam pads are placed in the free spaces. This helps to protect it from breakage and deformation of fittings during transportation.
- Improper installation. It is not always possible to pre-install the hinged door yourself. At first glance, there should be no difficulties in the installation. However, if the door is not placed correctly, it will be quite problematic to use it. In such cases, it will not close and open properly. That is why it is recommended to call a master if you have never before been engaged in repair work and you have no knowledge in this field of construction.
Conclusion
A prehung door is a great option if you decide to do a major renovation or completely redesign your home. This type of door is sold complete with a frame, which makes it much easier to install. However, it should be taken into account that the swing door is quite expensive, if compared to other varieties of doors.
At the same time, it has good sound and thermal insulation properties, as well as moisture resistance, which allows it to be mounted in the wall for exterior exit. Despite the apparent ease of installation, the prehung door should be installed in the company of professional craftsmen.
Otherwise, it will not close properly. To find a specialist, we advise you to carefully study the reviews. If the hinged door is installed correctly, it will be able to serve you for decades. We recommend that you carefully consider the choice and the master, in this case your door will serve you for a long time.
